The Marks of Authentic Biblical Christian Growth

Then Job answered the LORD

and said:

"Behold, I am vile; 

what shall I answer You?

I lay my hand over my mouth.

Once I have spoken, but I will not 

answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed

no further." 

Then the LORD answered Job out of

the whirlwind, and said: "Now Prepare

yourself like a man; I will question you,

and you shall answer Me:"

Job 40:3-7

     We are not left destitute so as to determine on our own whether or not we are actually growing in grace. It may be known, for if God requires from us growth, then He has given us the marks that show that we are growing.  How can we do so? First, let us acknowledge that we, as fallen people are very poor judges of our own condition, and that others, those bystanders who observe us are in a better place to know us better than ourselves.  This should make us shudder for we do not know who we might impress, those who see us for what we are!  There are signs of growth that we can see, that is, if we are actually looking to see if there are any marks that demonstrate our spiritual growth. A growing soul will take the time to examine themselves so that they can assure that they are growing spiritually.

     The opening verse in Job is one sure mark of spiritual growth, and God does demand that we stand up, be a man, or woman (can't leave her out for she too is a child of God), and give Him an answer.  It is this mark of an Authentic Biblical Christian that this world decries as something to be avoided, this is, humility.  Not some false humility that will give a person some advantage, no, true humility, a feeling of a person's own sinfulness, and unworthiness, a growing feeling that gives a mark of a true Authentic Biblical Christian Faith. Abraham showed that he had this mark of spiritual growth: "Then Abraham answered and said, 'Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the LORD'" (Genesis 18:27).  Jacob a patriarch of the Jewish nation, and a true follower of the LORD said: "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant;.....(Genesis 32:10a).  King David, a man who sinned greatly, more than once, as we all have done, either be commission, or omission, said: "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people" (Psalm 22:6). Isaiah the prophet cried out: "So I said: 'Woe is me, for I am undone! because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King. The LORD of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5).  Peter understood his position in his life that he was unworthy and was humble: "When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord'" (Luke 5:8)!  We may not admit that we are not sinful, that we are not worthy of God, that we are so depraved that we need a Savior, no we may not admit such a thing, an admission that admits of no humbleness, ye this is not what the Apostle Paul would admit: "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" (Philippians 3:12).  There is no standstill and wait to see attitude in Paul, and it should not be in us, for we are, as Paul, to press on, to take hold of all that Jesus Christ has done for us.  The question for us is: will we? Listen to Paul, a great early Church father and Apostle and learn from him as we can learn from all those men of old who held to the same attitude of humbleness: "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (1Corinthians 15:9). Don't be held back by your past, by what others may say of you, pointing their fingers at what you were and not what you are becoming, God forgives and gives grace: "To me, who am less that the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesians 3:8). There it is: we all have been commanded to be ambassadors for Christ, to live and grow by the grace given to us by God through the power of the Holy Spirit, and by the propitiation of Jesus Christ.  You are saved, not some wishful thinking, some hope that it is true, you are saved, and this by the cross of Jesus Christ: "this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1Timothy 1:1`5). 

     The first mark of growth in grace is humbleness. James writes: "But He gives more grace.  Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble'" (James 4:6; cf. Proverbs 3:34). Do you want this mark? Is following Jesus Christ more important to you than anything else? If so, then be humble in truth and acknowledge what you are in this life, and what you have come from, sin, and that God has in His mercy saved you, how much more can anything humble you?  You are saved, saved to life eternally with Him, in the new Jerusalem, the new world, and you are a new creature, therefore: "
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will life you up" (James 4:10).

I beseech you therefore, 

    brethren, by the mercies

of God, that you present your

    bodies a living sacrifice, 

holy, acceptable to God, which

    is your reasonable service.

                               Romans 12:1

Bow before God: The sabbath is coming

Richard L. Crumb